Dearest
by AthenAltena
Summary: It's amazing how only one word can change a relationship forever... Shoujo-ai.


Author's Notes: Well, I even surprised myself with this one. There was no plan, I just sat down and wrote it. This is my first shoujo-ai Noir fanfiction, and I honestly never thought I would do one.  
  
This is set post series, a year or so after the end. It's told as Mirielle speaking, and I couldn't help playing around with her character. Gomen, it's an artistic liberty.   
  
"Cher" means "loved one" in French. I wanted her to call Kirika Daisuki, but I figured being Corsican she doesn't know much Japanese. This is mostly fluff, I hope you don't mind.  
  
Arigatou,  
  
AA  
  
**Dearest**  
  
Something tickles my face as I awaken slowly, opening my heavy eyes without haste. I stare at the ceiling for a moment as I try to get my bearings. I'm home, I know that. But how did I...?  
  
"Mireiyu?"  
  
I blink, taking a moment to realize that it must be Kirika beside me, and that must be her hair that was in my face. But if we're here, that must mean...  
  
I sit up quickly, gasping as I am abruptly reminded of my many aches. That was stupid. I suddenly remember how I got them as well. The chase, the battle in the forest, the guy who came from behind me, it all comes back. That was a mess; I must have passed out when that idiot got me in a headlock.  
  
Almost before the gasp leaves me she's beside me, her large brown deer eyes are wide with worry and shadowed with exhaustion. She must be in pretty bad shape too, considering how awful she looks. Her hair is tousled from sleep, and she has a large bruise on one side of her cheek. Other than that, she must look a lot like me. She's in the light blue silk nightshirt I got her for Christmas, and though I hate to sound like a pervert it fits her slim form very well.  
  
"Mireiyu?" There she goes again, with that odd pronounciation of my name. It annoyed me at first, but I admit it's grown on me.  
  
"Mireiyu, daijobu?"  
  
I blink quickly as she pulls me back into the present. I'm suddenly aware that I have a splitting headache, and that I generally feel like I've been through hell and back. The pounding in my head is almost unbearable...  
  
"Oww..." I groan as I clutch my hand to my forehead. I close my eyes and wish I hadn't woken up...  
  
I turn to Kirika as she holds out her hands. In one she has a small red pill from the bottle I keep by my side of the bed, and in the other she has a glass of water. I look up, questioning. She smiles at me, looking slightly amused.  
  
"For your head."  
  
I blink, barely able to understand. After a few seconds some inkling of understand creeps into my aching cranium. I reach out and take them from her, sitting up slowly this time. I pop the pill into my mouth and swallow it quickly, drinking the entire glass of water. I shake my head to clear it, my hair falls in front of my face and I pull it away from my eyes, it must be a mess from last night.  
  
I hear Kirika chuckle slightly. I glare at her, which only makes her laugh harder. I narrow my eyes at her, as she tries in vain to make her face serious.  
  
"What are you laughing about?" I ask her seriously, with some of my bearish morning annoyance creeping into my voice.  
  
She grins, humor radiating from her eyes.  
  
"Gomen, Mireiyu, it's just..." her shoulders shake as she struggles to contain herself. "It's just... that you look awful! Gomen..."  
  
I smile evilly at her, brining my knees up to me chin and wrapping my arms around them.  
  
"Well, you don't exactly look like a beauty queen yourself, missy."  
  
She chuckles, a light, sensual sound that is a light as she is a mysterious. Her eyes light up as she laughs, but I can't help but notice something deep within them. It almost looks like...sadness.  
  
I sit up, puzzled. I put my hand on the side of her face, tenderly running it down her cheek. She looks up at me, perplexed, and to my surprise there are tears forming in the corners of her deep brown eyes.  
  
"Hey," I say gently, "You okay?"  
  
She smiles at me, putting her hand on mine and squeezing it gently. I can't help but grin back at her.  
  
"Gomen Mireiyu, I..." she closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. "I was just so worried, when that man was..."  
  
She chokes back a sob, a single tear running down her cheek. I brush it away gently with my thumb. She looks up at me, and I smile so tenderly at her I can practically see her melting.  
  
"Mireiyu..."  
  
She's such an awful liar; she can't keep it from her voice. The desire, the aching, it all shows so clearly now. I lean forward, wrapping my arms around her slim waist. She seems almost disbelieving, moving slowly and awkwardly.  
  
She looks up at me, her eyes full of wonder, but a bit scared as well. I smile at her.  
  
"Don't worry, Cher."  
  
Her eyes widen as I say this. I've never told her that, or anything close to that. She's called me Daisuki, in that letter she wrote me. But I can't help but feel guilty, seeing as I've never really made my feelings for her clear. But now I have. With one word I have changed our relationship into something else. It's amazing what a single word can do.  
  
"Mireiyu..." the tears are now coming fast from her eyes. I can tell she's happy now. She pulls me forward into an embrace, putting her head on my shoulder. I embrace her too, feeling the relief of finally telling her how I feel about her. I never really knew just what to say, and spent a long time trying to find the right words. But despite all of my preparation it came down to a split second of thought and one word. She leans forward, burying her face in my neck. I can feel her tears through the light fabric of my nightgown.  
  
She speaks slowly, full of emotion in her rich Japanese accent. I don't know just what it is she said, but the meaning is clear enough to me in my mind.  
  
"Ai shiteru, Mireiyu."  
  
I guess love really is a universal language.  
  
Fin 


End file.
